Combined aeroplane helicopter



Feb. 24, 1931. A. CURIONI 1.7939909 COMBINED AEROPLANE HELICOPTER Filed March 14. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 24, 1931. A. cumom COMBINED AEROPLANE HELICOPTER Filed March 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 24, 1931 ALDO GUBIONI, or naaomaonr, New YORK oomamnn annornann BELICOPTER Application filed March 14, 1929. Serial No. 348,858.

- due, no doubt, to the fact that such blades of these lifting propellers as have a negative angle of incidence, in forward flight not only detract from the lift, thus tending to depress the plane, but also add to the drag and set up retarding eddy currents.

The principal object of the present invention is to eliminate these disadvantages. This is accomplished by the provision of an aerofoil of such outward shape that it resembles and acts as the forward portion of a wing of a .plane and at the same time is of such construction that the blades of the lifting propellers may sweep through the concave or interior portion thereof. In the form of the invention illustrated below, two such lifting propellers are used, one at either side of the plane, rotating in opposite directions, those blades which extend for the moment beyond the opposite edges of the aerofoil moving forwardly. The aerofoil is located generally in the plane of rotation of the blades,

forward thereof, and extends laterally between points in front of the axes of the roellers, to deflect the slip stream cause by forward motion of the plane away from the rearwardly moving blades having negatlve angles of incidence. Portions of this wing or aerofoil, rearward of the leading edge there- .of, are cut away so as not to interfere with rising or descending.

A further object of the invention resides the vertical slip stream-when the plane is in mounting and connecting the blades of the lifting propellers so that their angles of incidence may be varied not only. to increase the lift of both propellers simultaneously,

but also to increase the angle of incidence of the blades of one propeller and at the same time decrease the angle of incidence of the blades of the other, so that they function as ailerons.

Another feature of the invention is the location of the lifting propellers in such relation to the wing as to supplement its action, whereby a wing of comparatively short span may be used without loss of lateral stabilit' or net lift.

It will be appreciated at once that the combined wing and shield for the propeller ef-' fects numerous highly desirable results and greatly increases the eificiency of the plane. Not only are all the drag of the negatively inclined blades and the loss of lift therefrom eliminated, but by far the greater part of the lift caused by the ordinary wing is re tained without, at the same time, any great interference with the helicopter action of the propellers.

These and other objects and advantages will appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the top of the combined aeroplane and helicopter.

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a side elevation.

Figure i is a detail view showing the lowerwing and vertical strut in section, and the mechanism for controlling the blades of the propellers.

Figure 5 is a detail view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section of the upper aerofoil or wing, showing the propeller blades and air currents.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3 there is shown acombined aeroplane and helicopter having a fuselage a, a lower wing b, landing gear 0, tailsk1d '0, horizontal and vertical tail surfaces d and (1, respectively, motor 9, propeller shaft g, and propeller 9 These may all be more or less as usual in an ordinary aeroplane. 7

The propellers which effect the helicopter action comprise blades 7 swivelled on radial arms f which are fixed to hubs f. These hubs may be integral with vertical shafts the shafts are pulleys f", which are driven from themotor on through worm m, wheels m and belts m.

' named arms to a yoke 71. which is pivoted .on stick. 71. to swing thereabout, said post mounted at 72. to swing in a vertical plane. By pulling stick h rearwardly the angle of incidence of all the blades is increased, while by rocking the yoke It the plane is caused L.- bank.

The wing. or aerofoil which serves as the shield for the rearwardly moving blades of the lifting propellers is shown at e with its leading ed e at e. The upper and lower surfaces 0 this aerofoil, e and e*, respectively, extend rearwardly over and under the tips of the blades and to such further extent as is desirable" for purposes of lift and as may be necessaryfrom constructional standpoints. is located forwardly of the tips ofthose blades which are just starting to move rearwardly. Since it is desirable that a single aerofoil shield all the rearwardly moving blades, the propellers are caused to rotate being in opposite directions-as indicated by the.

arrows in Figure 1, and the aerofoil is extended across the path of said rearwardlymoving blades, while the forwardly moving blades are outside of the shield.- The aero-' foil is hollow between the upper and lower portions sothat parts of the blades may sweep therebetween. These portions are cut away as at e and e, respectively, to form passageway for whatever slip-stream is caused by rotation of the blades 7. In Figure 1, a par ticular form of the cutaway portions is illus- "trated'and is best described by reference to said figure. However, it is tobe understood that the invention -is not confined to any speclal formor shape of these parts. The

characteristics of a given aerofoil are determinable, so that given the basic idea, of the present invention, one willbe able to construct various difierent shapes of wing for the present purposes;

In Figure 6, here is shown a wing section 6', e e a feature of the present invention, and in-dotted lines 6 the usual wing section.

The general flow of air past applicants areofoil is suggested by the lines 00,31 and 2. Propeller blades 7 are also indicated in dotted :lines. This figure is merely illustrative, and

applicant does not wish to be held to any partlcular theories of aerodynamics.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 1 there is one motor for the lifting propellers and are connected by The leading edge ofthe shield P 1,79a,eoe

preciated that these may be coupled to operate together in any suitable manner, or only one mo In the embo ing after the plane has gained altitude, t e outer blades of said propellers still contribute to the lift, 'due to their positive angle of incidence, but the whole forward motion may be supplied by the tractor propeller. Due to the lift of the former, the wing camber or area may be correspondingly decreased.

It will thus be seen that applicant has provided means whereby a helicopter type plane may operate efficiently in forward flight. Such means consist, briefly, of a wing which is also a shield for certain blades of the lifting propeller. Hence the invention is not to be limited by the shape of the aerofoil, nor to a biplane, nor in any other way, save as defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

ent illustrated, when the lift- 1. In an aeroplane, 1n combination with a plurality of propellers mounted for rotation about normally vertical axes, shield between the propellers, and aerofo il rtions forward of those propeller blades which have 'a negative'angle of incidence.

2. In an aeroplane, a substantial horizontal aerofoil, a plurality of propeller shafts, propeller blades mounted thereon and lying in a normally horizontal plane, and means to propellers are stopped, or movin slowly,

an aerfoil r may, in some cases be used.

mount the shafts so that those blades which I have a negative angle of incidence lie in the general plane of the aerofoil and rearwardly thereof, whereby the aerofoil acts as a shield for the last named blades in forward flight.

3. In an aeroplane, an aerofoil having a' leading edge and upper and lower surfaces extending rearwardly thereof to form a hollow space between the surfaces, shaft, propeller blades mounted thereon andlying in a normally horizontal plane, and means to mount the shaft so that the tips of a propeller some of the blades having a negative angle v of incidence lie in the hollow space.

4. In an aeroplane,'an aerofoilhaviiig a leading edge and upper and lower surfaces extending rearwardly thereof to form a hollow space between the surfaces, a propeller shaft, propeller blades mounted thereon and lying in a normally horizontal plane, and

-v means to mount the shaft rearwardly of the end of the aerofoil so that the tips of some of the blades having a negative angle of incidence lie in the hollow space.

5. In an aeroplane, a propeller shaft, propeller blades mounted thereon and lying 1n a normally horizontal plane, an aerofoil having a leading edge and upper and lower surfaces extending rearwardly thereof to form a hollow space between the surfaces, extending laterally the length of a blade. and formed with openings in said surfaces rearward of the leading edge, and means to mount the shaft rearwardly of the end of the aerofoil so that the tips of some of the blades having a negative angle of incidence lie in the hollow space.

6. In an aeroplane, a substantially horizontal aerofoil, a plurality of propellers whose blades lie in the plane of the aerofoil and rearwardly of the leading edge thereof, and means to mount the propellers at either side of the aeroplane, whereby the aerofoil upper and lower surfaces extending rearwardly thereof to form a hollow space between the surfaces, a plurality of propellers whose blades lie in the plane of the aerofoil, and means to mount the propellers at either side of the areoplane so-that the tips of some of the blades having a negative angle of incidence lie in the hollow space.

9. In an aeroplane, a substantially hori zontal aerofoil-having'a leading edge and upper and lower surfaces extending rearwardly thereof to form a hollow space between the surfaces, a plurality of propellers whose blades lie in the plane of the aerofoil,

and means to mount the propellers at either side of the aeroplane so that the propellers rotate about normally vertical axes, the axes being located approximately in line with the respective lateral edges of the aerofoil and at such distance from the leading edge there of that the tips of some of the blades having a negative angle of incidence lie in the hollow space.

10. In an aeroplane, a substantially horizontal aerofoil, a plurality of propellers whose blades lie in the plane of the aerofoil and rearwardly of the leading edge thereof, and means to mount the propellers at either side of the aeroplane,.for rotation about normally vertical axes, the axes being located approximately in line with the respective lateral edges of the aerofoil and the blades for the moment laterally outward of the aerofoil adding their effective lift to that of the aerofoil in forward flight.

11. In an aeroplane, an aerofoil shield, a rotatable member at either end and projecting beyond the sides thereof, and means to mount the member to destroy a portion of the turbulence back of the shield.

12. In an aeroplane, a pair of rotatable members, and an aerofoil shield lying enerally in the plane of the rotatable mem ers, a portion of the shield extending forwardly of the members to substantially the fore and aft planes extending through the rotating axis of the members.

13. In combination with a standard aerofoil having the property of lifting a plane against suitable wind pressure,rotating members carried by the plane, and cut away portions adjacent the rear ends of the aerofoils to position the leading ends of the aerofoil over a portion of the frontal profile of the rotating members.

This specification signed this 9th day of March, A. D. 1929.

ALDO GURIONI. 

